Hucho credits Daimler-Benz with the revival of boat-tailing as of the late 1970s Mercedes-Benz cars.
I've been thinking about this thread since it was posted,and while out on material runs I'll stroll past the tails of vehicles as I walk to and from the store.
I see more boat-tailing than ever.Sure it's embryonic but it's there.
As a 'Valley Boy,' growing up in Southern California,I,along with many friends observed that features we'd see on 'custom cars' taking form in many a open- door garages,would in a few years time,show up on production cars from the Big-Three.
Anything the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association was selling to a teen or young adult 'today',would end up in the auto showrooms in a few years time.And they'd get their 'price premium' for the added features.Low down payment and low payments.
It looks like there are 'drivers' in the market.If boat tails are ever perceived as high-performance equipment,we might see the 'Fast and the Furious' phenomenon take off with relation to real aerodynamics.
Substance could overshadow 'appearance.'
Bonneville should be interesting.The T-100 garnered much interest and photographs.Even George Poteet's crew turned camera it's way.
If JethroBodine and I (any others?) can actually make it out there and run,it could affect how the 'girly-man' boat tail is perceived.
Coming home from an aborted testing trip (foiled by hurricanes) a few years back I tailed a U.S.Homeland Security Chevy Tahoe at 107-mph for quite a few miles before I could figure out who the --l these sons-of-b------- were,while they emptied America's oil stockpiles single handedly.
The truck will 'run'! It's faster than many smaller cars of greater horsepower.Hope to know the end of the envelope in September.After which,a bunch of folks will 'know' what these silly things can do.
Tip of the iceberg?
